Inheritance
by justanoutlaw
Summary: Emma and Neal pretend to date so she can stay on her grandfather's will. It doesn't go as planned.
1. Chapter 1

**sarahshouldbestudying prompted: Fake Dating AU + Swanfire.**

Emma was never one to care if she pleased her family or not. She had taken her own path in life, dropping out of school and getting her GED before traveling around the country. Later on, she became a bail bondsperson and eventually settled back down in Storybrooke, Maine. Her parents had come around to accepting her choices and had long since stopped bugging her about when she was going to find a husband.

Her grandfather Leopold, however, was not as understanding. Emma had never seen him much growing up. Emma would complain about her own mother, but at the very least, Mary Margaret was understanding and just wanted Emma to be happy. Leopold was a bitter old man who liked things a certain way. He had never understood why his daughter had married a farmer like David. Therefore, Mary Margaret chose to only see him on certain occasions. She didn't care that her father wrote her out of the will, she chose love and happiness over money and would do it again any day.

That left Emma the sole heiress to her grandfather's fortune. She could care less about the money, but it would mean being able to buy her own house and being able to travel some more. She had blown through her savings and while she lived comfortably, she wouldn't be able to backpack through Europe as she planned, any time soon.

Then, shortly after Leopold was diagnosed with cancer, he changed up the terms of the will. Emma had to find a man before he died or she wouldn't get any of the money. Not just any man, but a suitable man that could one day be her husband.

So, she turned to her best friend, Neal. He was the son of lawyer and landlord, Vern Gold. Leopold had a lot of respect for the man and Emma knew Neal would be just the person for the job.

Neal shifted nervously as they walked up the steps to Leopold's house. "He's never going to buy this."

"He will if you act like it."

Neal rolled his eyes. "I can't believing you're conning your grandfather."

"Please, this man deserves it. He's treated my parents like crap for years, always treated my father like scum. It's not like he's this sweet little old man."

"What's in it for me?"

"My eternal gratitude." Neal gave her a look. "And I'll buy you dinner at Granny's. Come on Neal, please."

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Alright, alright. Let's just get this over with."

Neal took Emma's hand and she felt her heart skip a beat. Ignoring that, she rang the doorbell and a few moments later, the maid answered the door. She lead them up the stairs to Leopold's room where he laid in bed, a nurse fussing over him. He was pushing her away, rolling his eyes and making a big stink over nothing. The nurse eventually gave up and pushed passed Emma and Neal, wishing them luck.

"Well if it isn't my lovely granddaughter," Leopold said, noticing her. "And…Neal Gold. What are you doing here?"

"Well Grandpa, I have some news for you," Emma stepped forward, keeping her grip on Neal's hand. "Neal and I have been dating for a while now."

"Really? And you never told me this why?"

"We just wanted to make sure it would last."

"Mhmm. So, it's serious?" He looked over at Neal, who quickly nodded.

"Oh yes, sir. One hundred percent. I can't get enough of her." Feeling Leopold staring a hole into his head, he quickly leaned down and kissed Emma's cheek.

"Right. Well…I need to know that my granddaughter isn't making the same mistakes as her mother. How do I know that you two won't break up as soon as I kick the bucket?"

A heavy silence fell over the room and Emma wanted to kick herself. For an asshole, her grandfather was a pretty smart man.

"Because we're getting married," Neal blurted out. Emma looked at him with wide eyes and he tilted her head as if to say, go along with it. "We haven't told anyone yet, because I haven't gotten the ring, but we got engaged last night. Right, Em?"

Emma cleared her throat and looked back at Leopold. "Yes, yes. That's right."

"Married," Leopold repeated.

"Yeah. I can't wait to be…Mrs. Gold."

"When's the big day?"

"Oh, not for another year or so. We want to have a big wedding."

"If you're so in love why not do it tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes, I'd hate to miss my only grandchild's wedding."

Neal stepped in, squeezing Emma's hand. "Mr. Blanchard, we don't have anything prepared. No venue, Emma doesn't even have a dress…"

"It'll all be arranged. Tomorrow, the two of you will be married."

Neal shot a look over at Emma, who's eyes were on the ceiling. She was going to owe him a lot more than a burger from Granny's.


	2. Chapter 2

"We cannot get married!" Emma exploded.

She and Neal had left her grandfather's house and were sitting in her beat up yellow bug, heading down to Granny's.

"Excuse me, this was all your idea," Neal fired back.

"You went off script and said we were getting married!"

"Because he wasn't going to let it go, I was just trying to help you out!"

"Well now, he expects us to walk down the aisle tomorrow."

"Ugh!"

Neal buried his head in his hands. The only sounds as they drove over to the diner were those of Queen and other rock bands. Once she pulled the car into park, Emma let out a deep breath.

"We're not doing this, obviously. I'll tell him it was a failed attempt to keep my name in the will."

"What about your plans? The house? Backpacking?"

"It'll have to wait until I can afford it on my own."

Neal sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Or we can do it."

Emma's head shot up. "What?"

"Get married."

"You have to be kidding me."

"We get married, he kicks the bucket in a few months and then we get a divorce."

"And what? You're entitled to half the money?"

"I don't need the money, trust me. I want to do this for you, Em."

"Why?"

Neal bit his lip, unsure of what to say at first. The truth was, he had started having feeling for Emma years ago. Deep down, he knew that it was all a bad idea. He was agreeing to marry the girl he had deep feelings for, knowing it wasn't going to last. Knowing she was never going to feel the same way about him.

Yet, he'd do anything to make her happy.

"Because you're my best friend and I think you'd do the same for me."

"Well…of course I would."

"So, Emma Ruth Nolan…" He patted his pockets, trying to find something that could symbolize a ring and pulled out his keys. He worked off the swan keychain and slid the ring part of it onto her left ring finger. "Will you marry me?"

Emma bit her lip to suppress a smile. "Yes, Neal Cassidy Gold, I will."

She took the keychain off and moved it to the chain around her neck.

"What are we going to tell our parents?"

"That we're crazy."

"Seriously, there's no way they're ever going to approve. Especially my mom. She left this lifestyle a long time ago."

"So…we can go elope."

"My grandfather wanted to be there."

"He wants proof that we got married, we'll get proof. No one even has to know that we did this."

"You sure?"

"Very."

Together, the two of them went down to the courthouse and applied for a marriage license. Within a half hour, they stood in front of the judge wearing their jeans and t-shirts, Neal's keychain hanging around Emma's neck.

"By the power invested in me, I pronounce you two husband and wife," he said. "You may now kiss the bride."

Neal swallowed. "Em, we don't have to…"

"Proof, for my grandfather," she mumbled, handing her phone to the witness the court had provided before leaning in and kissing him.

God, they were getting in way too deep.


End file.
